http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |(MCT) When the labor market gets tight — and it is, for sure — what can you do to keep your job? These sites make it clear: The answer has as much to do with psychology as with your expertise.

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BE HAPPY

Be of good cheer, everyone. An "attitude of gratitude in trying times" will help you stay employed, according to this article from the Christian Science Monitor. The article is based on a report in the Harvard Business Review. Skill and proficiency aren't as valuable in a recession as being "cheerful, likable, generous contributors," the Monitor said.

Order a copy of the above-noted Harvard report, "How to protect your job in a recession," for $6.50 here, and remember to smile. A summary states: "While layoff decisions might seem beyond your control, there's plenty you can do to make sure you retain your job." It's all about being versatile, keeping your chin up.

On the Wired How-To Wiki, a human resources "career officer" offers tips for staying employed. Those tips include getting yourself noticed — but only for the right reasons; you want to show initiative to the boss, but you don't want to show how your resume is now posted across the Internet. And, if all else seems to be failing, you need a backup plan for applying your experience to a new field.

Your ticket to staying employed could be to become a go-to person in the workplace, according to this "recession-proof your job and career" blog entry at About.com. The article it points to has additional advice, and suggests, for example, that keeping a job means accepting challenging new assignments, not whining, and giving "genuine time, compliments, attention" to the boss.

There's even a case for going to the boss and asking how secure your job is, according to this video with Martha Stewart Radio career coach Maggie Mistal. First, you have to decide if you really want to know.